Crusher apparatus and method of manufacture



Oct. 6, 1964 A. B. HANSE ETAL 3,151,816

CRUSHER APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed June 18, 1962 3Sheets-Sheer l Oct. 1964 A. B. HANSE ETAL 3,151,816

CRUSHER APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed June 18, 1962 3Sheets-Shae? 2 INVENTORB- aw 29258 1964 A. B. HANSE ETAL 3,

CRUSHER APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed June 18, 1962 3Sheets-Shes: 5

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yam/2 fia M gm L27 IQMZMZM Z United States Patent M 3,151,316 CRUSfi-IERAPPARATU AND PVIETEUD 0T0 MANUFACNJAE Albert E. Ianse and Leonard N.Kint, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignors to Pettihone Ivinlliken Corporation,a corporation of Delaware Filed June 18, 1962, Ser. No. 203,5)65 7Claims. (Cl. 241-191) The present invention pertains to an apparatus forcrushing rock or the like, and, more particularly, relates to animpeller structure and the method of manufacturing the same.

While features of the present invention might be used in the manufactureof various types of rock crushers and other apparatus employing a rotorof similar characteristics, the invention was devised primarily for usein connection with a rock crusher of the type wherein an impeller orrotor is rotated about a generally horizontal axis. The rock to becrushed is deposited on the rotor where it is impacted against hammerson the rotor and thrown against a screen grate for further impacting andclassification. In devices of this type, the rotor and hammers areseverely abused by the conditions under which the apparatus is operated.The rotor must be large and sturdy to withstand the centrifugal forces,to hold the hammers in place and to not be rendered unserviceablebecause of the constant impacting and battering occasioned by contactbetween the moving rotor and hammers and the stone to be crushed. inaddition, it is desirable to have a rotor with as high a moment ofinertia as possible to simplify the motive power requirements, andstresses thereon.

Necessarily, the hammers are subjected to damage and wear and must bemade so that they can be replaced periodically as this takes place. Therotor must be constructed so that replacement of the hammers is easilyperformed and that the hammers are securely held in place duringoperation. The conditions under which operation occurs will tend toloosen and/ or damage many conventional types of fastening devices.Means are provided to permit ready determination of when the hammer wearis such that the hammers should be replaced.

We have devised a novel rotor structure and method of manufacturing thesame which is ideally suited to operate under the adverse conditionsfound in a rock crusher of this type. The rotor readily may befabricated from the plurality of pieces. It incorporates a hammermounting structure which will securely hold the hammers in place and nottend to loosen in use. Yet, despite the adverse conditions, the removaland replacement of the hammers is extremely simple and is not impairedby the use of the machine. The rotor has a high moment of inertia. Acomparatively inexpensive, self-aligning, hearing is incorporated forthe rotor.

The hammer mounting structure is such that it does not seriously weakenthe rotor such as occurs in many prior art devices by reason of theexistence of deep pockets or the like provided to incorporate the hammermounting structure. Using the present invention, it is possible toproduce a rotor having as many as four hammers which will withstand thepunishing service of rotors of this type. Using prior art practices,many have con- 3,15 1,8 16 Patented Oct. 6, 1964 sidered that the rotorswere unduly weak when they incorporated even only three hammers.

With many prior art hammer mountings, it was necessary that the machinebe stopped after some period of use and the hammer mountingsretightened. The hammer mounting of our structure is such that noretightening is necessary. The operation of the machine, the variousforces and blows on the hammers, etc., will not loosen the hammers. Aswill be apparent from the following description, the hammers aresecurely seated against a rearward face (with respect to the directionof movement) so that they will not move, bend or break. Furthermore, thesupport of this face extends relatively high on the hammer. This, plusthe manner in which the hammer is wedged and locked in place,contributes to the elimination of the necessity for retightening thehammers after they have had some use.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a rock crusher with portions of theenclosure removed;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of a portion of the crusher of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a View of the rotor with a portion broken away to illustrateits fabrication; and

PiGURE 4 is a partial section as viewed at line 4-4 of PEG. 1.

Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination isdetailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intendedto prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each newinventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it byvariations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims atthe end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as itis these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts,improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The crusher comprises an enclosure or frame generally 1%. As viewed inFIGURE 1, the front and top of the enclosure have been removed to betterillustrate the structure of the crusher. There are two side walls 11 anda back, not shown. An impeller or rotor generally 12 is mounted betweenside walls 11. At each end of the rotor are shafts 13 suitably journaledin bearings 14. A power means, not shown, is connected to a shaft 13 torotate the rotor in a direction such that the top of the rotor, asviewed in FIGURE 1, is moving away from the viewer.

We have devised a method of mounting bearings 14 to inexpensivelyachieve self alignment Without the usual expense of self aligningbearings. Bearing 14 is secured to a mounting member 16, which at twosides contacts wear plates 17. At the other two sides, spring bars 18are secured to mounting member 16 by brackets 1%. It will be observedthat brackets 19 space the ends of bars 18 away from the sides ofmounting member 16. Bolts 2%) are threaded into frame 10 and fixed inplace by jam nuts 21. The inner ends of bolts 20 bear against thecentral portion of spring bars 18, urging those bars toward mountingmember 16. Thus, spring bars 18 urge mounting member 16 toward the Wearplates 17. At the same time, the resiliency of the spring bars permitabutment 28 that forms a shoulder 31.

mounting member 16 to float with respect to frame 10. To facilitatethis, preferably the edges of mounting member 16 in contact with thewear plates 17, are slightly curved as viewed in cross section (notshown).

An outside flinger 22 is secured to each of shafts 13 immediately beyondthe outer face of bearings 14. On the side adjacent impeller 12,mounting member 16 abuts frame of the machine. A lock bolt 23 secured toframe 14) extends into a pocket 24 in mounting member 16. Pocket 24 islarger than the bolt and thus does not inhibit the mounting member fromfloating with respect to the frame. At the same time, it preventssubstantial movement of the mounting member and bearing.

Four hammers 27 :are mounted on the periphery of rotor 12. Each ofhammers 27 is positioned in a pocket. At one side, each pocket isdefined by an abutment 28. Abutment 28 faces forwardly with respect todirection of rotation 29. There is an undercut 3h inwardly of Hammer 27has a projection 32 that enters undercut 3i and locks under shoulder 31.The bottom 33 of hammer 27 is spaced above the base 34 of the pocket inwhich the hammer is received. A portion of base 34 forms a cammingsurface 35 which is positioned at an obtuse angle with respect to theface of abutment 23. Hammer 27 has a pressure face 37. A wedge 38 has apressure face 39 which contacts pressure face 37 of hammer 27. Wedge 38also has a camming surface 44 in contact with camming surface 35 of therotor body. While wedges 38 could be made in a single piece, preferablythey are in a plurality of parts as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

A plurality of wedging screws 42 are threaded into wedges 38. Eachwedging screw has a head 43 which bears against a presssure plate 44mounted as an insert on the forwardly wall of the pocket. One of theadvantages of our invention, as will be apparent from the descriptionherein, is that the rotor body may be formed of mild steel. more easilyworked or machined than are some other materials. However, to preventdamage to the mild steel body of the rotor, pressure plates 44 arewelded therein to bear against the heads 43 of the wedging screws.Wedges 38 have abutments 45 on each end thereof. At the center, eachhammer has recesses defining a web 46. A centering member 47 is notchedto fit about web 46. Centering member 47 is secured to the body of therotor by a cap screw 48.

Doors 51 form a part of the enclosure 10 and are positioned at each endof rotor 12; The doors are hinged to the remainder of the enclosure andare provided with latches, not shown, which engage hooks 52 to hold thedoor in a closed position. The bottom 53 of the door openings are at alevel corresponding to the distance of the top of unworn hammers 27 fromthe axis of shaft 13. Thus, as hammers 27 wear, the extent of the wearmay be determined by positioning the hammers as illustrated in FIGURE 2.The difference in elevation between the top of the hammers 27 and theplane defined by the bottoms 53 of the door openings will exhibit theextent to which the hammers 27 have been worn.

The bottoms 53 of the door openings are cut out to receive an insert 54.Insert 54 forms a part of enclosure 10 and normally is held in place bythe tongue and groove edges thereof. After door 51 has been opened,insert 54 may be lifted out of its position. It thereby provides anopening to enable hammers 27 to be moved longitudinally out of and intothe enclosure 10 and the pockets on the rotor.

To remove and replace hammers 27, the hammer to be removed and replacedfirst is positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Doors 51 are opened toobtain access to the interior of the crusher. Inserts 54 are lifted outof place after the opening of doors 51. Wedging screws 42 are turned ina direction such that they are threaded farther into wedges 38, thusproviding additional space This is relatively inexpensive and it isbetween pressure plates 44 and the pressure face 37 of the hammers. Capscrew 48 is removed along with centering member 47. Upon completion ofthese operations, the hammer 27 may be moved longitudinally through oneof the openings provided by the removal of an insert 54. Thereafter, anew hammer is similarly slid into place from one end of the rotor,pressure screws 42 are extended from each of wedges 38 and the wedgespushed up so that the contact of faces 37 and 39 firmly seats projection32 under shoulder 31 of abutment 28. After all of the wedges 33 havebeen securely pressed against hammer 27, centering member 47 may bereplaced in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. Each successive hammer27, is replaced in a similar manner.

The relative positioning of the rearward abutment 28, (and itsshoulder), pressure faces 37 and 39, camming surfaces 35 and 4d, andpressure screws 42 is important. It is this that enables the hammers tobe readily changed, yet prevents them from loosening in service. Thosefamiliar with the art will appreciate that the structure is such thatthe hammer pockets are relatively shallow as compared to many suchdevices. Thus, the rotor is not particularly weakened and the moment ofinertia of the rotor reduced.

In operation the rock to be crushed is deposited onto rotor 12. Themovement of the rotor and its hammers will throw the rock in the generaldirection of a screen grate 55. Grate 55 comprises a plurality of spacedbars 56. The rock will be fractured by the initial impact between therock and the hammers, by the impact against the screen grate, or both.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the structure making up the body of rotor 12. It isformed of a plurality of mild steel plates. In the illustratedembodiment, there are two end plates 57, two outer intermediate plates58, two inner intermediate plates 59 and a center plate 60. End plates57 and center plate 60 have axial openings 61, corresponding in size tothe diameter of shaft 13. One or more of these plates 57 and 69 areprovided with keyway 62 to enable the rotor body to be rotativelysecured to shaft 13. The two inner intermediate plates 59 have axialopenings 63 larger than axial openings 61. The outer intermediate plates58 have axial openings 64 larger than the axial openings 63. The cornersof the plates are beveled to form welding scarfs. Preferably, thesescarfs extend about the entire periphery of the rotor body except forthe portion defining the bottom of the hammer pockets, i.e., bottomsurfaces 34 and 35. In the usual instance, plates 57-60 will be formedto shape prior to assembly, except for the surfaces that are to berelatively smooth and planar. In this respect, the two importantsurfaces are those that define abutment 28 and camming surface 35. Thesewill have a slight amount of excess metal left thereon, so that afterthe rotor body is formed, they may be machined to a relatively exactconfiguration.

To assemble the rotor body, all of the plates except for the end plates57, are assembled and welded. This.

may be done in sequence or all may be assembled before welding. In anyevent, the two inner intermediate plates 59 are Welded to the centerplate 60. The two outer welds 66 are made in the scarfs providedtherefor. Annular inner welds 67 are made in the V groove, or filletspace, provided by the adjacent surfaces of plates 59 and 60. Similarly,outer intermediate plates 58 are welded to inner intermediate plates 59by outer welds 68 and inner welds 69. After the last intermediate plateon each end, e.g. plate 58, has been welded on the inside, e.g. weld 69,the end plate 57 on that end can be fastened in place. This is donesolely by an outside weld 70.

Since shaft 13 is supported in bearings 14 immediately beyond each endof the rotor body, the end portions of the body are not as severelystressed as are the more central portions thereof. Thus, outside weldsare sufficient to connect plates 57-58. In the portions of the body thatwill be more severely stressed, additional inner welds 67 and 69 aresupplied. Those familiar with the welding art will be readily cognizantof the fact that inner welds 67 and 69 are relatively easy to form. A Vgroove is provided by the abutting parts to serve as a fillet space. Theincreased size of the central opening coupled with the angular positionof the V groove makes it relatively easy for a welder to produce a goodweld. Were the V groove in the form of a scarf such as that provided forthe outer welds 66, 68 and 70, a welder would have extreme difficulty indoing the job even if the axial opening were large enough to permit theinsertion of the welding apparatus and to permit visual inspection ofthe welding operation. Other than the attachment of end plates 57, thesequence in which the welds are made is of no particular significanoe.No inference with respect to sequence is to be derived from the order ofrecitation of steps in the attached claims, other than that namedtherein as being in a specific sequence.

While the term rock has been used herein, this is for the purpose ofillustration only and is employed to comprehend the type of materialsthat generally are processed in a machine of this type. Other materialsthat fall within this category would be slag, etc.

We claim:

1. A rotor for an apparatus for crushing rock or the like and adapted tobe mounted on a shaft for rotation in a given direction, said rotorhaving a central opening to receive said shaft and comprising aplurality of parts having abutting faces normal to said shaft, saidparts being welded together both inside and outside, said centralopening on the outside parts being shaped to fit to the shaft, saidrotor having a pocket extending parallel to the shaft opening anddefined by a bottom wall and a forwardly and a rearwardly wall asrelated to said direction of ro tation, said rearwardly wall having arearwardly extending undercut in the portion thereof spaced inwardlyfrom the periphery of the rotor and defining a shoulder, a hammer insaid pocket with one side abutting the rearwardly wall and hooked underthe shoulder with the inner portion of the hammer being spaced from thebottom wall, the opposite side of the hammer having a pressure faceextending inwardly and toward said one side, a wedge spaced from theforwardly wall and having a pressure face contacting said pressure faceof the hammer and a second face against a portion of said bottom wall,said second face and said pressure face being positioned such that theincluded angle between them is an acute angle, means releasably bearingbetween the rotor at the forwardly wall and the wedge to drive andreleasably hold the wedge against the hammer, whereby upon releasingsaid wedge it may be moved toward the forwardly Wall and away from thehammer to permit the hammer to be removed.

2. A rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the distance from the axisof the shaft opening to the periphery of the rotor at said forwardlywall is substantially less than the distance to the periphery at saidrearwardly wall, and said hammer projects beyond the periphery of therotor.

3. In a rock crushing apparatus having a casing and a rotor adapted tobe mounted on a shaft for rotation about an axis in a given direction,said rotor having a central opening to receive said shaft, theimprovement comprising: said rotor including a plurality of parts havingabutting faces normal to said shaft, said parts being welded togetherboth inside and outside, said central opening in the outside parts beingshaped to fit to the shaft, said rotor having an external pocketextending parallel to the shaft opening and defined by a bottom wall anda forwardly and rearwardly wall as related to said direction ofrotation, said rearwardly wall having a rearwardly extending undercut inthe portion thereof spaced inwardly from the periphery of the rotor anddefining a shoulder, a hammer in said pocket with one side abutting therearwardly wall and hooked under the shoulder with the inner portion ofthe hammer being spaced from the bottom wall, the opposite side of thehammer having a pressure face extending inwardly and toward said oneside, a wedge spaced from the forwardly wall and having a pressure facecontacting said pressure face of the hammer and a second face against aportion of said bottom wall, said second face and said pressure facebeing positioned such that the included angle between them is an acuteangle, means releasably bearing between the rotor at the forwardly walland the wedge to releasably hold the wedge against the hammer, wherebyupon releasing said wedge it may be moved toward the forwardly wall andaway from the hammer to permit the hammer to be removed; and access doormeans in the sides of the casing intersected by said axis, one portionof the door opening being closer to said axis than is said bottom wallwhereby the hammer may be moved endwise therethrough, a second portionof the door opening being the same distance from the axis as is theouter portion of an unworn hammer to provide a gauge to determine theamount of hammer wear.

4. In a rotor for an apparatus for crushing rock wherein the rotor isadapted to be mounted on a shaft for rotation about an axis in a givendirection, said rotor having a central opening to receive said shaft,the improvement comprising: a pocket extending parallel to the shaftopening and defined by a bottom wall and a forwardly and a rearwardlywall as related to said direction of rotation, said rearwardly wallhaving a rearwardly extending undercut in the portion thereof spacedinwardly from the periphery of the rotor and defining a shoulder, ahammer in said pocket, with one side abutting the rearwardly wall andhooked under the shoulder with the inner portion of the hammer beingspaced from the bottom wall, the opposite side of the hammer having apressure face extending inwardly and toward said one side, a wedgespaced from the forwardly wall and having a pressure face contactingsaid pressure face of the hammer and a second face against a portion ofsaid bottom wall, said second face and said pressure face beingpositioned such that the included angle between them is an acute angle,means releasably bearing between the rotor at the forwardly wall and thewedge to releasably hold the Wedge against the hammer, whereby uponreleasing said wedge it may be moved toward the forwardly wall and awayfrom the harnmer to permit the hammer to be removed.

5. A rotor improvement according to claim 4 in which the rotor andhammer at its rearward face are provided with interfitting means forensuring retension of the hammer in centered position while held by thewedge.

6. A rotor improvement according to claim 4 in which the meansreleasably bearing between the rotor and the wedge includes a screwmeans for driving the wedge and hammer in place.

7. In a rotor for an apparatus for crushing rock wherein the rotor isadapted to be mounted on a shaft for rotation about an axis in a givendirection, said rotor having a central opening to receive said shaft,the improvement comprising: a pocket extending parallel to the shaftopening and defined by a bottom wall and a forwardly and a rearwardlywall as related to said direction of rotation, said rearwardly wallhaving an outer portion and a rearwardly extending undercut in theportion thereof spaced inwardly from the periphery of the rotary anddefining a shoulder at the inner end of the outer portion, the outerportion of the rearwardly Wall being slanted forwardly from a radialline to the Wall at the shoulder, the portion of the bottom walladjacent the forwardly Wall being at an obtuse angle to said outerportion of the rearwardly Wall, a hammer in said pocket with one sideabutting the rear wardly wall and hooked under the shoulder with theinner portion of the hammer being spaced from the bottom wall, theopposite side of the hammer having a pressure face extending inwardlyand toward said one side, said pressure face and said outer portionbeing positioned with the included angle therebetween being an acuteangle, a wedge spaced from the forwardly wall and having a pressure facecontacting said pressure face of the hammer and a second face againstsaid portion of the bottom wall, and a plurality of screws threaded intothe wedge along lines generally normal to said outer portion, saidscrews abutting the forwardly wall to hold the wedge and hammer inplace, whereby screwing said screws further into said wedge will releasethe screws from the forwardly wall and provide space for moving thewedge away from the hammer so that it may be removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSKempshall Sept. 30, 1913 Bock Dec. 1, 1931 Hanse May 29, 1956 RollinsDec. 2, 1958

4. IN A ROTOR FOR AN APPARATUS FOR CRUSHING ROCK WHEREIN THE ROTOR IS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A SHAFT FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS IN A GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID ROTOR HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING TO RECEIVE SAID SHAFT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A POCKET EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE SHAFT OPENING AND DEFINED BY A BOTTOM WALL AND A FORWARDLY AND A REARWARDLY WALL AS RELATED TO SAID DIRECTION OF ROTATION, SAID REARWARDLY WALL HAVING A REARWARDLY EXTENDING UNDERCUT IN THE PORTION THEREOF SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE ROTOR AND DEFINING A SHOULDER, A HAMMER IN SAID POCKET, WITH ONE SIDE ABUTTING THE REARWARDLY WALL AND HOOKED UNDER THE SHOULDER WITH THE INNER PORTION OF THE HAMMER BEING SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM WALL, THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HAMMER HAVING A PRESSURE FACE EXTENDING INWARDLY AND TOWARD SAID ONE SIDE, A WEDGE SPACED FROM THE FORWARDLY WALL AND HAVING A PRESSURE FACE CONTACTING SAID PRESSURE FACE OF THE HAMMER AND A SECOND FACE AGAINST A PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID SECOND FACE AND SAID PRESSURE FACE BEING POSITIONED SUCH THAT THE INCLUDED ANGLE BETWEEN THEM IS AN ACUTE ANGLE, MEANS RELEASABLY BEARING BETWEEN THE ROTOR AT THE FORWARDLY WALL AND THE WEDGE TO RELEASABLY HOLD THE WEDGE AGAINST THE HAMMER, WHEREBY UPON RELEASING SAID WEDGE IT MAY BE MOVED TOWARD THE FORWARDLY WALL AND AWAY FROM THE HAMMER TO PERMIT THE HAMMER TO BE REMOVED. 